How would you build a Tier 2 Cruiser for STFS as I saw one being use in one?

you don't.

limiting the firepower you can deliver in an STF is being a complete arse, IMHO. if you want to fly a cruiser in an STF it better be a tier 5. NO ONE is so good they can take a tier 2 starship and outperform a tier 5 starship

1) Be a Tac.

2) Use Beam Arrays only (no torps) for a max of 4 x beams

3) Make sure they're the Mk XII Borg ones (AntiProton works best)

4) Borg Deflector/Engine/Console + MACO Mk XII Shields

5) 1 x Mk XI blue AntiProton Consoles (MAG Regulators?)

6) 2 x Mk XI blue Neutronium Alloy

7) Borg Console/Mk XI Field Generator

Also preferably a Red Matter Capacitor and the Subspace Device from the Devidian missions.

Make sure you've got Boffs specifically for the build (Engineering Team, EP2W/EP2S), Beam FAW etc.

With a good skill spec and decent gear you can get *nearly* as much out of each beam array as someone in a Tier 5 - the main difference being that you have less of them and no kinetic follow-through.

In normal STFs, this is entirely viable (particularly when PuGging) - I've even pulled aggro from Tier 5 ships in it.

I've also completed normal STFs in an NX and an Oberth - that's a little harder

I wouldn't recommend trying Elite in a setup like this though - little too squishy - use a Tier 3 Excelsior

*Edit* Oh, almost forgot - get the Exeter and use the Connie Refit skin - little bit tougher

I am GUILTY of doing this.

What can I say? I love star trek...... being the under dog is nothing new.

I take a exeter. cruiser refit at the moment it gots xi borg phaser cannon xi borg quantum torp, 2 borg xi phaser turrets.

I put a isometric console and gas trop console.

plasma consoles for weapons

tactical phaser relay

Its intensly harder. Requires more discipline. in kit I end up capable of holding off the 2 probe gang little tougher with the 3, gotta time a tractor beam right. use the Gas torpedo to knock out engines. park your ship with all guns concetrate on the facing. emergency power to weapons, highe yield on torps. Or holding off the nanite team in infected.

Like needles in the eyeballs you got to concentrate on that open shield facing.

of course If I could have what I want they would be XIIz, prob have other good universal consoles, if I had the borg tractor having a extra tractor would definately make it easier.

I still use phasers.....canons......quantums......i only took because i want it to look like the enterprise from the new movies.

If I was going for efficiency i might do tetron borg weapons.....get that shield off soon as you can so you can hittem with torps.


One disadvantage could be your greatest advantage...........Its the borg will absolutely hate you. You will argo everything! if we are at the cure the cubes are going to shoot you first, kit the gates will shoot you first. I don't know if its the preference of killing the weakest link. Or they realley hate captain kirk. Don't be suprised if you take all the beatings not a single shot fired at anyone else. The borg tac beams, nutralizers, They are comming after YOU.

Cause I think they know your a badass for taking a t2 cruiser.


If anyone who hasn't tried this, do it for a week then go back to a t5 ship your going to laugh at how easy t5z got it. Its almost embarrasing to go back to t5.

Also make sure you are the #1 team player, don't give the whiners any excuses.

I've heard we are not allowed a T5 exeter/con.

I'd settle for T4 version.............one day we shall be free.

I haven't done it with the T2 ships but I did use the CMDR Exceclsior see here for the build I used on that.

It was quite successful actually, held agro off an oddy and a T5 escort and survived (I only died when hit by invisi-torps and when I made the silly mistake of firing of FAW in CSE with a Negh'var and a Raptor within range but even then I put up a fight)

I did this once or twice, back before the Fleet ships were introduced.

I'm a huge fan of the Nova class, particularly the Rhode Island sub-class, and took my old
T2 Rhode Island into one or two STF's.

Now, it wasn't completely useless - fitted with MkXII Tetryon dual beam arrays I was, at the very least, a nuisance to the Borg and the Rhode Island was agile enough to get itself out of trouble much of the time.

Sadly, as others have said, the novelty value does tend to wear off when it becomes obvious that you are, at best, a distraction.

Then there is the other downside - the messages (on the in-game chat) from the other players, who see your presence in a low-tier ship as a personal insult and an attempt to stop them from obtaining the vaunted 'optional' loot drop (the fact that the optional loot drop is usually garbage notwithstanding....).

Players should be able to play STO as they please - some have paid large sums of money to participate. And I'm NOT saying "don't take lower tier ships into STF's" - I'm saying, play how you please but be prepared to accept the consequences; namely angry team-mates and a ship that is, at best, a distraction and at worst Borg target practice.

Shoulda known the game's #2 Excelsior fan would have tried something like this too

Yep - it's fun and perfectly viable providing you've got the experience, the right spec and the gear (in that order)